The present invention relates to an oral cavity image pickup apparatus to be utilized for observing the interior and/or exterior of an oral cavity in dental surgery.
Field of the Invention
In recent years, video-scope using CCD has been used for medical examination and treatment for a diseased part inside of an oral cavity. For such a video-scope, there are video-scope or the like which image-pick up one or a plurality of teeth by holding the tip end portion thereof from the outside of the oral cavity or inserting it into the oral cavity or the like as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-332170.
In case of image-picking up the entire oral cavity including the dentition from the outside of the oral cavity to preserve the data, there is used a dentist""s camera obtained by providing a photographing camera with annular illumination. In this case, the xe2x80x9cinside of the oral cavityxe2x80x9d means within space which spreads toward the throat with the upper and lower dentition a boundary, and the xe2x80x9coutside of the oral cavityxe2x80x9d means the inside and a portion toward the exterior of the lips with the upper and lower dentition a boundary.
A xe2x80x9c8020 campaignxe2x80x9d for holding 20 teeth at 80 years old has been promoted by the Ministry of Welfare or the like, and further emphasis has been placed on early detection and early treatment of decayed teeth. Also, recently our way of thinking has advanced from medical treatment to prevention, and this preventive examination and treatment start with grasping a patient""s state of oral cavity. As their method, a photograph of the oral cavity is taken, and is preserved as a record.
Conventionally, in the dental surgery, a small-diameter dental mirror has been generally used on examining the state of the interior of the mouth, but in recent years, video-scope using a solid state imaging device such as CCD has been gradually utilized in informed consent or the like for observing and showing the patient an image on the monitor television for explanation.
In such a video-scope, according to the conventional technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-332170, the video-scope is used by holding it in one hand so as to facilitate an operation for locally photographing such as observation of one or a plurality of teeth.
In the case, however, where photographing is made in units of one tooth or a plurality of teeth, it takes time and it is difficult to identify which tooth within the dentition the tooth photographed is, and it is also difficult to pigeonhole the data.
When such an operation is made in the dental examination in health facilities and schools for infants and children, it is inefficient such as prolonged consultation hours or the like.
Further, the conventional dentist""s camera photographs the entire oral cavity from just the front, and has the same form as an ordinary photographing camera, and therefore, teeth in the depths such as the molar are difficult to take a photograph because they are covered with the cheek portion.
The present invention has been achieved in the light of such problems, and is aimed to provide a simple and easy-to-use an intra-oral cavity image pickup apparatus for image-picking up the dentition and gums at a time from inside and/or outside the oral cavity.
One aspect of the present invention is an oral cavity image pickup apparatus, comprising:
image pickup means having at least an object lens and an imaging device; and
holding means of holding said image pickup means inside and/or outside an oral cavity,
wherein said image pickup means is capable of image-picking up full or partial dentition exposed inside and/or outside said oral cavity and partial bio-tissue at a time.
Another aspect of the present invention is an oral cavity image pickup apparatus, comprising:
image pickup means having at least an object lens and an imaging device; and
holding means of holding said image pickup means inside and/or outside an oral cavity,
wherein said holding means has a bitten portion which is bitten by upper and lower teeth to thereby stabilize an entire apparatus, and
said image pickup means is disposed inside and/or outside said oral cavity by said bitten portion of said holding means being bitten by said upper and lower teeth.
Still another aspect of the present invention is an oral cavity image pickup apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of image pickup means having at least an object lens and an imaging device; and
holding means of holding said image pickup means inside and/or outside an oral cavity,
wherein said plurality of imaging devices are disposed in such manner that such imaging device has different direction to each other.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said image pickup means is capable of image-picking up at a time full or partial dentition belonging to an upper chin, and a portion of bio-tissue and/or full or partial dentition belonging to a lower chin, and a portion of bio-tissue.
Still yet another aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus according, wherein said object lens is a fish-eye lens.
A further aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said holding means has light projecting means and said light projecting means projects a light upon full or partial dentition exposed within and/or without said oral cavity and partial tissue.
A still further aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said holding means has dentition exposure means, and in a state in which said image pickup means is capable of image-picking up, at least a portion of said dentition exposure means is disposed at both end portions of lips in such a manner that said lips and a portion of the cheek are pushed open.
A yet further aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said holding means has first holding means to be disposed inside said oral cavity, and second holding means to be disposed outside said oral cavity.
A still yet further aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said first holding means and said second holding means are integrally fixed.
An additional aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said first holding means and said second holding means are detachably disposed on said dentition exposure means.
A still additional aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said image pickup means is movably disposed on said holding means.
A yet additional aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said image pickup means is disposed on said first holding means and said first holding means is quasi-horse shoe shaped, U-character shaped or V-character shaped.
A still yet additional aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said second holding means has a shape of larger width than width of said first holding means in a boundary portion with said second holding means.
A supplementary aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said holding means forms a substantially key-hole shape all over said first holding means and said second holding means.
A still supplementary aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said second holding means has a curved shape at a boundary portion between said first holding means and said second holding means with respect to said first holding means.
A still supplementary aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said image pickup means continuously or intermittently rotates with a predetermined region of said holding means as a base point.
One aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, further comprising image processing means of joining plural signals from said image pickup means together as one image.
Another aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, further comprising display means capable of selectively displaying each of a signal from said image processing means and plural signals from said image pickup means.
Still another aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said holding means is made of transparent material or material having permeability.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus,
wherein said holding means comprises:
driving means of driving said image pickup means;
power supply for supplying electric power to said image pickup means and said image pickup assisting means; and
radio signal output means of outputting a signal image-picked up by said image pickup means.
Still yet another aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein said image pickup means and said holding means are made integral with each other so as to enable them to be disassembled respectively.
A further aspect of the present invention is the oral cavity image pickup apparatus, wherein a shape of said holding means is a closed curve including at least two holding areas, in which said holding means is held, as a whole and wherein portions including at least two holding areas of said closed curve are on the same plane.